Facebook said it is not building eye-tracking software "right
now" but it did not rule out doing so in the future. "We're
always exploring how new technologies and methods can improve our
services," it said. "If we implement this technology in the
future, we will absolutely do so with people's privacy in mind,
just as we do with movement information."

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Facebook said the technology could be used to "reduce consumer
friction" and "add security" for people when they log into
Oculus, its virtual reality service. The abstract for the dynamic
eye tracking calibration patent suggests that users could control
objects and apps on a screen with their gaze.

The patents are, however, likely to be ammunition for critics who
say that Facebook already collects too much data. As part of its
answers to Congress, Facebook revealed all the ways it
records user information. This includes tracking things like
mouse movements and the battery life of your mobile device.